When One Flame Lights Another
by Beau2809
Summary: Fem!Harry Lyra, and her husband Charlie, want to start a family.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter in any way, it is entirely the product of JK Rowling.

A/N in Wedding, Charlie decided to change his surname for Lyra, hence why he is now called Charlie Potter.

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><p>Lyra Potter was the most beautiful woman in the world. With her long, flowing, ebony locks, her bright emerald eyes, her kind smile, her gentle laugh, she eclipsed every woman she stood beside. Even Fleur, her sister in law, paled in to insignificance beside her.<p>

Or so her husband thought.

To him, his wife was everything. The most beautiful, the kindest, the best. Charlie Potter could, and frequently did, apply superlatives to every kind description he could think of - and to him, it still wasn't enough. Not for Lyra. Not for his soulmate.

But Lyra, rather impossibly so, became even more beautiful to him when he watched her with her godson, young Teddy Lupin, or later on, with his niece, little Victoire Weasley.

Charlie loved watching Lyra with children. Whether it was the few children that lived in the Romanian dragon reserve, or those who she met while wandering the length of Diagon Alley. But especially when it was the children Lyra actually loved. Especially when it was Teddy, and Victoire. When they were together, Lyra seemed to glow with a joy that bubbled out of her irrepressibly.

Or so Charlie thought.

Charlie Potter, the rugged, strong, dragon tamer, was broody.

As the new millennium started, his want for a child that shared his blood and his wife's blood became stronger, and finally, he could no longer hold his desire in.

One day, when he was spending his week off with his wife, relaxing in the garden, he broached the subject. Lyra had been peacefully reading at the time, and looked up, startled.

"You want a baby?" She asked, surprised, but blushed under his scrutinising gaze. Charlie scrambled off his chair and knelt at her side, clasping her hand in both of his.

"I want your baby, Ly." He said quietly, before he looked up at her, and met her eyes, "please say you do too" he added in an almost desperate tone. His wife looked at his hands that still enveloped hers, and his wedding ring that shone in the sunlight. She brought her other hand to stroke his cheek, and finally nodded.

"I'd love to have our baby, Charlie."

Charlie wasn't expecting her words to have such a reaction on him, but suddenly his heart filled with such love for the being that they had yet to create. Still speechless, he kissed Lyra, clasped her to him, imagined their baby.

His dream was coming true.

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><p>This story has been a long time coming, but I've finally started it. I'm currently studying, and am about to start a full time job, so there probably won't be regular updates but this is a story I have had in my head for a very long time now and know how it's going to go. And it is not going to be abandoned.<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

Months went by, from the warmest of summers to cool autumn nights, and then the frost filled winter months. Lyra and Charlie had spent months trying to conceive their longed for child, but to no avail. Both became adept at sidestepping the questions from Molly Weasley over when they would give her a grandchild, both pretended it wasn't the right time, they weren't ready, they wanted a few more years together first.

But as the months went on and nothing happened, each denial became harder to force out, harder to pretend that they didn't want a child.

But then it happened.

Lyra met Charlie in Romania, so they could spend their few days together as they did each week before she returned to her Auror duties in London. The minute she emerged in the square where they met each week, the minute she was in Charlie's arms again, he knew something was different.

There was a mystery about her, a knowing look in her eye. Charlie all but dragged her to their cabin, where she immediately said the words that filled his heart to overflowing with love.

"I think I might be pregnant."

He hugged her with delight, pressed his hand against her stomach as if to find the baby that was theirs. The baby that he had put there.

"Have you taken the potion yet?" He belatedly thought to ask, three minutes after filling his life with his baby. Lyra shook her head, and suddenly the baby in the room was gone.

"I wanted to wait.. Wanted you to be there." Charlie beamed at her, and pulled her to him again.

"I love you Ly" he whispered.

Hours later, once their reunion had been cemented in its usual way, they prepared to test whether or not a child that was Charlie's and Lyra's resided in Lyra's womb. A small potion bubbled on the stove, a lavendar sprig rested on the table. Charlie brought the now boiled potion over to his wife, and sat down beside her, clinging onto her hand as he prepared for the news that would change his life or break his heart. Lyra smiled at him, squeezed his hand, and lifted the lavendar to her mouth. She placed it gently onto her tongue, and together they counted thirty seconds.

Once the time was up, she removed it, and dropped it into the bowl in front of her. Agonising seconds passed, as they watched the dark blue potion with increasing dread. They expected it to turn clear, a sign that Lyra's womb was empty.

But it didn't.

Suddenly, it changed colour to a stunning, sunny yellow. Lyra's sparkling eyes met Charlie's, only for her to laugh incredulously when she saw that his eyes, too, were filled with tears. They stared at each other, both fixing the moment in their memories, before they moved.

Years later, neither Charlie nor Lyra could remember who moved first. But all of a sudden, they were in each other's arms, hugging, kissing, while a small pot of innocent yellow potion sat beside them.

They stayed that way for several hours, barely able to tear themselves away from each other in their utter delight. For Lyra was pregnant, and they were to be parents.


	3. Chapter 3

It wasn't until Lyra returned home that she was able to see a midwife. There weren't any present on the Romanian reserve, and Lyra was always too busy in the day to take the time to visit one anyway. In Romania, while Charlie worked with the dragons, she acted as an ambassador for the British Ministry of Magic, and liaised with the Romanian Ministry. It worked well, for it gave her something to do while Charlie worked through the day, she was paid for it, and it meant she could be with her husband in the latter half of the week, as she spent the first half at home alone in England.

But there was one downside to the way she lived. Had she approached a midwife in Romania, she would have had to go through their Ministry, and she did not want to let anyone else know about her pregnancy for a few more weeks. From the officials in Romania, it could easily be spread about the entire Ministry there, get into the public eye of the citizens, travel back to England, be spread about their Ministry, and be in the Daily Prophet before Lyra had even touched foot on home soil once more.

So she had to wait until England again, although even that proved a challenge. She did not want to go to St Raymond's, the Wizarding maternity hospital, as to do so would cause a stampede and again, the Daily Prophet would publish all the gossip of her pregnancy, all the personal details, before Lyra and Charlie would get the chance to tell their families.

Fleur provided the answer, finally. Other than Charlie, Lyra's sister in law was the only person who knew of the existence of a little Potter, and was absolutely thrilled for them both. She quietly invited Lyra round to join her for one of Victoire's health check ups at the hospital, and this gave Lyra the chance to enter the hospital almost anonymously.

Once she was in, Fleur's favourite midwife approached the two of them, and with a smile invited them back to the consultation room. Fleur subtly looked around before walking alongside Lyra in such a way that any chance of getting a look at her stomach, even though it had not yet grown, was impossible. Lyra looked at her slightly and grinned, before she leaned over to take the giggling six month old from her mother and whispered,

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

Fleur blushed slightly, but grinned back.

"Of course! I 'ave never 'ad to do zhe, ehh, cloak and dagger stuff before.." She tailed off wistfully, and Lyra sighed.

"Yes, ok, you can help me again next time" she mock groaned, and Fleur elbowed her gently.

"I love zhe enzhusiasm, Ly!" Fleur teased, before thanking the midwife and walking in to the room she had led them, before the two took a seat in front of her desk. Lyra was still cradling her niece, but handed Victoire back to her mother for the appointment.

Victoire was perfectly healthy, and all the women couldn't help but coo at her as she was redressed in her winter coat and they stood up, before Lyra spoke.

"Excuse me, Madam Dixon, could I speak to you for a minute?" The midwife smiled as she turned to her famous guest who had joined them for the appointment.

"Yes, Mrs Potter?" She asked, and indicated her to take her seat again, although Lyra merely held the back of it. From her side, Fleur smiled gently as she watched her sister in law, and suddenly the midwife got a distinct sense that this had been planned from the outset.

"Are you pregnant, Mrs Potter?" She asked, as she watched the young woman standing before her. Lyra shyly nodded, but her eyes took on a steely look as she returned the midwife's gaze.

"This cannot go further than the hospital, I do not want this to reach anyone who has no right to it." Her tone was stern, and Madam Dixon could not help but notice the whitened knuckles that gripped the back of the chair.

"And this is why you have come in with Mrs Weasley today", she concluded. Lyra nodded.

"Do you mind waiting, Mrs Weasley?" The midwife asked, and as expected, Fleur instantly took a seat again to remain by Lyra's side.

"I will stay wizh Lyra" she stated regally, but the haughty tone was undermined by the kind smile she sent to her friend, and the way her knees started bouncing to make both her and her daughter laugh.

"I would like to test your pregnancy first, please, Mrs Potter" the midwife told her, before she drew out a small glass of blue potion from her desk, and a lavender sprig from a pot on her windowsill. Lyra instantly placed the lavender on her tongue, and thirty seconds later, dropped it into the glass. And as before, it turned a bright, sunny yellow.

They all beamed, especially Fleur, who had not yet seen proof of the baby residing in Lyra's womb, and the midwife gently waved her wand at Lyra's stomach, before pointing it at a piece of parchment.

Four weeks,

Twins, due on the twenty ninth of October.


	4. Chapter 4

It wasn't until later that evening when a buzzing Lyra got the chance to sit down and talk to her husband. He was still in Romania, so she had to wait until his shift was complete before she could contact him using the mirrors that Sirius had taught the two of them to charm. This was not news that she wanted to share through Hedwig and Bertram, Charlie's owl, for although it was normally a safe form of communication, several underhand journalists had been known to forcefully pluck owls out of the sky and read the contents of their letters.

So far, Lyra's letters had been safe. But news of their children would undoubtedly be the letter that would get read, and using the mirror would be faster as well – even though both tended to prefer using letters to keep in touch.

She spent the day with Fleur, and both women were on cloud nine as they floated around Shell Cottage tending to Victoire. Lyra knew she would not be able to withhold such important news from Ron or Hermione, were she to see them in this state, and as such avoided them for the remainder of the day. It wasn't a hard thing to do, however. Her two best friends were spending the day at Hermione's parents house, and so she would not see them again until Monday when they all returned to work. If either of them saw her the way she was that day, neither would give up until she told them why she could not stop smiling. Hermione especially would ask insistently, and Lyra would not be able to hide her pregnancy any longer.

But she wanted her babies' father to know first.

Once his shift was over, Charlie returned to his cabin immediately. The mirror that his wife would contact him through never left his side, even through preparing dinner or getting changed. It wasn't until he had finished dinner that it clouded, and he almost tripped in his haste to reach it.

"Hello, Ly" Charlie said with a happy smile on his face as soon as he saw hers, "did you see the midwife?" Lyra grinned at him, an added twinkle in her eye.

"Yes" she simply stated, before adding "I saw Fleur's favourite one, Madam Dixon, and our babies are due at the end of October." A blissful smile crossed her face as she said so, and it was soon matched by an equally foolish smile on Charlie's face as he realised what she'd said.

"Babies?" he simply asked, and Lyra nodded.

"We're having twins, Charlie" she told him, and suddenly he was speechless. Just minutes before, her husband had believed he was to be a father to one very much wanted and longed for child, and suddenly his dream had doubled in the space of seconds. Silence pierced the air as he was tried to process the news, and he almost didn't notice the worried look on Lyra's face.

"Charlie?" she asked, hesitantly, "You are happy... aren't you?"

Her worried voice immediately returned him to the present, and he hastened to reassure her that he was merely speechless, but that she had made him the happiest man alive, that he was simply overjoyed, and ecstatically, and blissfully, imagining their family. His babies. His children. He loved them already.

The rest of their conversation was all besotted smiles and tender looks, filled with the love they shared. It went on for hours, until Charlie remembered the time and hastened to tell Lyra she should rest. Sleep. Keep her energy up.

He blew kisses through the mirror, bade her goodnight, and reminded her tenderly that he would be home the following day.

That night, Lyra fell asleep in their bed with a smile upon her face. Her twins rested in her stomach, and one hand instinctively lay across her stomach protectively. It was in that position that Charlie found her. He had been unable to sleep and had managed to start his week off early, rushing home as soon as he was able. He got into bed behind her, and like his wife, his hand instantly sought his children. He clasped her hand in his own, and lay wide-awake as she slept, marvelling at the thought that his children lay just inches away from his hand.


	5. Chapter 5

When Lyra woke in Charlie's arms the following day, she couldn't help the smile that lit her face. She had not expected him back for several more hours, but now her family was reunited and she felt happy. She sighed blissfully and curled back into his warm embrace, before falling asleep again, wrapped within his love.

When Charlie woke, it was to find his wife enfolded within his arms, while both his hands rested on her stomach. He was amazed to find that his hands had not left their protective spot above his children, but indeed, he woke to find his rough hands still curled delicately around Lyra's womb.

When both were awake, they decided between them that five weeks was far too early to tell anyone that they were expecting, especially as Lyra was carrying twins. They would wait another month before telling their families, and another few after that before they would allow Luna to publish it in the Quibbler.

For now, it was just the two of them in their bubble of bliss, living life as parents to two miracles. Two people that for the first time in Lyra's living memory, would share her blood, be related to her. And although Charlie was the happiest man alive already, because he was going to become a father, it was giving Lyra that extra gift that made him even happier.

When Lyra turned eight weeks pregnant, they decided it was time to tell their families. Molly Weasley would be ecstatic to know that she would soon be gaining some grandchildren, and Sirius would be over the moon.

She didn't want to tell everyone together though. Even though it had been several years since the end of the war, just the thought of everybody screaming with delight and converging on her at once was enough to make her panic. Charlie happily agreed with her and together, they decided to tell his mother first.

Molly Weasley was alone in the kitchen of the Burrow one sunny February day, when the couple entered. She took one look at them, one long, calculated look at the barely concealed utter joy in both their faces, and immediately beamed.

"You're pregnant, aren't you?"

Lyra flushed scarlet, but did not relinquish Charlie's hand and nor did she deny the question. Instead, a radiant smile blossomed on her face and she nodded. Molly immediately teared up, and she bustled round the table, barely remembering to brush her hands on her apron in her own delight before she reached them. Charlie was first, and his mother hugged him quickly before she turned to Lyra.

"Oh congratulations!" She finally got out before Lyra was in her arms and the two women were sobbing happily together. "How far along are you?" She suddenly thought to ask, and Charlie grinned.

"Ly's just over eight weeks now." He said. Lyra nodded, and her mother in law grinned again. "So we've decided to start telling a few people now.."

"Who else knows?" Molly wondered, and tears fell once more into her eyes when Lyra told her that other than Fleur, she was the first to know.

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><p>Molly was baking when she heard a noise behind her. Often, she would set food to cook by using her wand and leaving it to be created while she was able to do everything else she needed to do around the house. But baking relaxed her, and she had the time so immersed herself in baking bread while watching her garden through the kitchen window. For the first time in weeks, it was gloriously sunny and the birds were starting to return for Spring.<p>

It was as she was contemplating the birds that came to their house to lay eggs each year, that Lyra and Charlie entered the room. Molly heard them enter and turned round to greet them, but barely got the chance to welcome them before she looked at their faces.

She hadn't been as oblivious as they thought. As their denials of pregnancy had grown harder for them to get out, the forced indifference on their faces became more pronounced. Not many people would have noticed, but Molly had a practiced eye. She had helped Sirius and Remus support Lyra through some of the toughest years of her life, and had been there for Lyra right from the second Ron and Lyra had become friends. And Molly knew her son as well. She caught every flicker of pain on his face, and she had worked it out eventually that they were possibly struggling to conceive.

When she turned round, it took just a millisecond for her to see their faces. There was a sparkle in Lyra's eye that hadn't been there for several months, and beside her Charlie's face was lit up.

And in that instant, she knew. And she was overjoyed for them both. She barely needed to ask to confirm what she already knew, but seeing Lyra blush when she asked and the blazing joyful look in her eye when she merely nodded caused her own heart to overflow with unadulterated happiness.

She hastened round the table to reach them, and her son barely got a hug in before she turned to Lyra who could barely stop the excited smile as they hugged. And when Charlie told her that Lyra was a mere eight weeks along, and Lyra, that other than Fleur she was the first to know, tears bubbled up inside her as she became speechless with delight.

Molly knew that Lyra normally went to Sirius first. He was always the one she told when she had big news. It had taken her a while, but she had finally accepted and respected Sirius' place in Lyra's life. Molly felt so incredibly privileged to be the person Lyra had told first. A few years ago she would have felt jealously smug. Now she just felt trusted and loved. And she couldn't wait before she was allowed to talk about it.

It mattered not that technically she had found out after Fleur had. Fleur had known for weeks and had attended one of the appointments... But Molly didn't mind. She loved that the mothers of her two grandchildren were such good friends. She knew how much Lyra loved spending time with not just Fleur but also her darling little Victoire, and she knew just how much Charlie loved seeing Lyra and Victoire together.

Besides, Fleur knowing already about the existence of the new baby meant Molly had an excuse to pop by and cuddle Little Victoire.

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><p>Thank you so much for all the lovely reviews asking me to carry on updating. I am sorry for the wait, but work has been very tiring and I have barely had a minute to myself.<p> 


	6. Chapter 6

Sirius was to be the next to know, of course. Once he knew, they would tell everyone else. But it was finding the perfect way to tell him that they were to have a baby that was difficult.

Lyra and Charlie had decided between them that other than Fleur, who knew by accident, nobody else would know they were having twins until they were a little further along in their pregnancy. It wasn't that they didn't want anyone to know.. It was just that their children were so precious to them that they didn't want to share that secret for a while. They certainly didn't want the entire world to know and watch Lyra's stomach grow. Recently another Wizarding celebrity had been pregnant and Lyra had watched with despair as the media and the betting shops in Knockturn Alley had thrown odds for how many children would be born. The poor witch had ended up isolating herself for the last two months of her pregnancy before delivering her only baby in peace, as she had been hassled every time she set foot outside her home.

Lyra didn't want that. The constant flashing of cameras still occasionally panicked her, especially when there were many around her. Normally, it would stress her but she was fine. Charlie did not want Lyra to be stressed. Not when she was carrying their babies cocooned inside her.

Eventually, they just decided to tell him. They were round at Grimmauld Place one afternoon when Lyra couldn't hold it back any more and blurted out the words.

"I'm pregnant" she said in a rush. Sirius stopped and stared at her.

"Ly?" He said in amazement, before reading her eyes and rushing over. "Oh congratulations Ly!" He held her close to him, before gently pushing her away and looking at her. She was glowing, smiling with a radiant warmth that she had never had before.

She had always been beautiful to him, but the day he found out his goddaughter was pregnant he thought that the irrepressible joy that was bubbling out of her smile, and of Charlie's beside her, made her surpass even herself. His eyes met hers as his hand gently reached out, and with her nod of approval it made contact with her stomach, gently held it, wondered at the miracle of life that grew just beneath its fingertips, and then was crushed between Sirius and Lyra has he gave up all pretence and allowed tears to blossom in his eyes.

Charlie always found it amazing to watch Lyra and Sirius together. For people who had not been allowed to know each other for all of Lyra's childhood, they were truly as close as Sirius had always dreamed they would be when he had held the newborn Lyra. The love they held for each other always astounded him, that they could allow their carefully erected barriers they both held against the world to fall so easily in each other's presence. Lyra was as relaxed with Sirius as she was with him, and Remus and Tonks. And Sirius was still occasionally judged by others for his past as well. But together they were always so open, as proven by Lyra whispering that she was carrying twins into the quiet room even though they had decided they wouldn't tell others for a while, and Sirius' other hand quickly seeking her stomach to meet the second child as well.

The next day it was Remus and Tonks' turn to find out, and they all gathered at Grimmauld Place. While Charlie was chatting to them, he was very aware of Lyra. She had jumped at the chance to fetch Teddy from his nap and had darted upstairs, bearing a very special jumper with her.

Minutes later, Teddy toddled in to the room. His mother looked up and squeaked, before she rushed over to hug Lyra, who stood shyly behind him.

"Ly!" She exclaimed, and Lyra happily returned her hug, beaming away in Tonks' arms. Charlie smiled tenderly at the sight, before watching from the side as Remus noticed the small green jumper that Teddy was sporting, the word 'god-brother' emblazoned upon it.

Immediately the quiet man stood and made his way to Lyra's side, whispering 'congratulations' before enfolding her in his arms and crushing her gently to him. They were a small family unit, and to see how happy she and Charlie both were, made him happy. While Lyra was close to her best friends, she was very much joyful of being part of their unique family that was made up of her godfather, Remus, Tonks, Teddy, her husband, and their twins, and their babies would be as precious to the others as Teddy was.


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